In 1963, a trio formed by Rui Alexandre Faria (Rui, the lead vocalist), Aquiles Rique Reis (Aquiles), and Milton Lima dos Santos (Miltinho) in Niterói (Rio de Janeiro) started to perform at the Popular Center of Culture (CPC) of the National Student League (UNE). The CPC of Niterói was founded in Aquiles' home. At the same time, Magro (Antônio José Waghabi Filho) had a bossa nova group with Miltinho and a flutist, bassist, and drummer, called MPB-5. With Magro (the group's lifelong musical director) invited to join the original vocal trio, the quartet became known as Quarteto do CPC. With the extinction of the CPC (and of the UNE) after the military coup in 1964, the group adopted the name of MPB-4, playing in local bars and doing a double single with the first recording of Zé Kéti/Elton Medeiros' "Mascarada" with "Samba Bem" (Luís José) and other songs.
With all of them as college students, they took a period of vacations in 1965 to go to São Paulo, where they did their professional debut at the Pontifícia Universidade Católica's Theater (Tuca). They met producer Chico de Assis and were invited by him for a season with Quarteto em Cy (which was already professional), on the condition that they abandon other aspirations to devote themselves full-time to their group. Deciding for the music, they opened with Quarteto em Cy at the show No Samba Que Eu Vou, when they met Chico Buarque, also introduced to them by de Assis. From 1969 to 1974, Buarque was almost the fifth member of MPB-4 as all of his shows were with the quartet. Together they toured several countries and were deeply influential on the Brazilian youth. de Assis also introduced them to Manoel Carlos, who was one of the directors of the O Fino da Bossa TV Record show hosted by Elis Regina. MPB-4 participated right on the first show singing together with Regina, which was their definitive consecration.
Back in Rio, they participated in the show Contraponto, together with Quarteto em Cy, Oscar Castro-Neves, and Rosinha de Valença. At the Opinião theater, MPB-4 participated in the historic show O Samba Pede Passagem with Aracy de Almeida, Baden Powell, Ismael Silva, and others. The show was recorded live and released in June 1966 as O Samba Pede Passagem. Also in 1966, they released their first LP, which had the first recording for Buarque's "Olê Olá." Having participated in Nara Leão's show Quem Tem Medo de Nara Leão?, in the same year they defended "Canção de Não Cantar" (Sérgio Bittencourt) at the II Festival de Música Popular Brasileira (Festival of Brazilian Popular Music, FMPB, TV Record of São Paulo), which won fourth place. In the next year's edition of the same festival, the group was consecrated definitively with "Gabriela" (Maranhão) and "Roda Viva" (Buarque), achieving, respectively, sixth and third places. Also in 1967, they participated in the II FIC (International Song Festival, TV Globo, Rio) with "O Sim Pelo Não" (Alcivando Luz/Carlos Coquejo) and "Cantiga" (Nelson Motta/Dori Caymmi), which reached sixth and ninth places. In 1968, they opened a show shared with Buarque at the Teatro Toneleros, and also had a season in São Paulo. Three years later, they did the historic show Construção at the Canecão with Buarque, Jacques Klein, and the Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira (Brazilian Symphony Orchestra) conducted by Isaac Karabtchevski. In the next year, MPB-4 toured Portugal and in 1973, Buenos Aires, Argentina, both with Buarque. In 1975, they participated, with Buarque, in the show República de Ugunga. In 1980, the group released, together with Quarteto em Cy, the children's LP Flicts/de Ziraldo e Sérgio Ricardo. Recording another children's LP in the next year with "O Pato" (Toquinho/Vinicius de Moraes), they had the song presented in the TV Globo musical A Arca de Noé. The LP Caminhos Livres (1983) had another of their hits with an Aldir Blanc song, "A Nível De..." (with João Bosco). In 1991, the quartet launched another of their themed albums, the CD Sambas da Minha Terra, dedicated to the works of Dorival Caymmi, Toquinho/Vinícius, Zé Kéti, and Ary Barroso, among others. Always doing shows and recording frequently, the group commemorated their 30-year career in 1995 with the show Arte de Cantar and the eponymous album. ~ Alvaro Neder, Rovi
Sites: MusicBrainz & Discogs.
Sentinela
MPB-4 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do corpo desse meu irmão que já se vai
Revejo nessa hora tudo o que ocorreu
Memória não morrerá
Vulto negro em meu rumo vem
Mostrar a sua dor plantada nesse chão
Seu rosto brilha em reza, brilha em faca e flor
Histórias vem me contar
Longe, longe, ouço essa voz
Que o tempo não vai levar
Precisa gritar sua força ê irmão
Sobreviver, a morte inda não vai chegar
Se a gente na hora de unir os caminhos num só
Não fugir nem se desviar
Precisa amar sua amiga ê irmão
E relembrar que o mundo só vai se curvar
Quando o amor que em seu corpo já nasceu
Liberdade buscar na mulher que você encontar
Morte, vela, sentinela sou
Do corpo desse meu irmão que já se foi
Revejo nessa hora tudo que aprendi
Memória não morrerá
Longe, longe, ouço essa voz
Que o tempo não vai levar
The lyrics of the song "Sentinela" by MPB-4 describes the singer's role as a sentinel or guardian over his dying brother's body. He reflects on his memories of their experiences together as he watches over his passed away sibling. The appearance of a black figure marks the singer's painful realization of the sorrow he must face alone. In the midst of his mourning, the singer hears a voice calling out to him, a voice of strength and encouragement. The voice urges him to unite with others and not to fear death, for it is not yet his time to go. He is reminded to love his friend and seek freedom with his loved one, and to use his memories as a guide to make the most of his life.
Line by Line Meaning
Morte, vela, sentinela sou
I am the sentinel of death and vigil for the body of my departing brother.
Do corpo desse meu irmão que já se vai
I mourn over the body of my brother who is leaving us.
Revejo nessa hora tudo o que ocorreu
At this moment, I remember everything that has happened.
Memória não morrerá
Memory will not die.
Vulto negro em meu rumo vem
A dark figure comes towards me.
Mostrar a sua dor plantada nesse chão
To show me the pain that is rooted in this ground.
Seu rosto brilha em reza, brilha em faca e flor
His face shines in prayer, in knife and flower.
Histórias vem me contar
He comes to tell me stories.
Longe, longe, ouço essa voz
Far away, I hear this voice.
Que o tempo não vai levar
A voice that time cannot take away.
Precisa gritar sua força ê irmão
You must shout your strength, my brother.
Sobreviver, a morte inda não vai chegar
To survive, death has not yet arrived.
Se a gente na hora de unir os caminhos num só
If, at the time of uniting our paths,
Não fugir nem se desviar
We do not run away or deviate.
Precisa amar sua amiga ê irmão
You must love your friend, my brother.
E relembrar que o mundo só vai se curvar
And remember that the world will only bow down.
Quando o amor que em seu corpo já nasceu
When the love that was born in your body,
Liberdade buscar na mulher que você encontrar
Find liberty in the woman you meet.
Morte, vela, sentinela sou
I am the sentinel of death and vigil for the body of my departed brother.
Do corpo desse meu irmão que já se foi
Mourning over the body of my brother who has already left.
Revejo nessa hora tudo que aprendi
At this moment, I remember everything I've learned.
Memória não morrerá
Memory will not die.
Longe, longe, ouço essa voz
Far away, I hear this voice.
Que o tempo não vai levar
A voice that time cannot take away.
Contributed by Aaron T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@cecilianaviskas6831
Os maiores representantes da MPB. Amo de paixão !! São indiscutivelmente muito bons !!
@sheylalemos9822
Muito atuais